rthur entered, a fine-looking young man, of three-and-twenty,
dark, bright complexioned, tall, and robust. He showed not the least
consciousness of having offended, and his bride smiled freely as if at
rest from all embarrassment now that she had her protector.

'Well, John,' was his greeting, warmly spoken. 'You here? You look
better. How is the cough?'

'Better, thank you.'

'I see I need not introduce you,' said Arthur, laying his hand on the
arm of his blushing Violet, who shrank up to him as he gave a short
laugh. 'Have you been here long?'

'Only about five minutes.'

'And you are come to stay?'

'Thank you, if you can take me in for a day or two.'

'That we can. There is a tolerable spare room, and James will find a
place for Brown. I am glad to see you looking so much better. Have you
got rid of the pain in your side?'

'Entirely, thank you, for the last few weeks.'

'How is my mother?'

'Very well. She enjoyed the voyage extremely.'

'She won't concoct another Tour?'

'I don't think so,' said John, gravely.

'There has SHE,' indicating his wife, been thinking it her duty to read
the old Italian one, which I never opened in my life. I declare it would
take a dictionary to understand a page. She is scared at the variety of
tongues, and feels as if she was in Babel.'

John was thinking that if he did not know this rattling talk to be a
form of embarrassment, he should take it for effrontery.

'Shall I go and see about the room?' half-whispered Violet.

'Yes, do;' and he opened the door for her, exclaiming, almost before she
was fairly gone, 'There! you want no more explanation.'

She is very lovely!' said John, in a tone full of cordial admiration.

'Isn't she?' continued Arthur, triumphantly. 'Such an out-of-the-way
style;--the dark eyes and hair, with that exquisite complexion, ivory
fairness,--the form of her face the perfect oval!--what you so seldom
see--and her figure, just the right height, tall and taper! I don't
believe she could be awkward if she was to try. She'll beat every
creature hollow, especially in a few years' time when she's a little
more formed.'

'She is very young?'

'Sixteen on our wedding-day. That's the beauty of it. If she had been a
day older it would have been a different thing. Not that they could have
spoilt her,--she is a thoroughbred by nature, and no mistake.'

'How did your acquaintance begin?'

'This way,' said Arthur, leaning back, and twirling a cha